Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gyakushuu no Char - Beltorchika's Children
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack - Beltorchika's Children

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It's no secret that Char's Counterattack illicits mixed feelings from many Gundam fans. On one hand, it's the epic conclusion to Char and Amuro's story together, but it is by no means a flawless movie. While it doesn't fix everything wrong with the movie, the manga of Beltorchika's Children represents what Char's Counterattack could have been. It was at one point submitted by Yoshiyuki Tomino for the script of the movie, only to be rejected and released as a novel, and much later as this manga adaptation. Obviously nothing can replace the glorious animation of the final showdown between the Nu Gundam and the Sazabi, ... but Beltorchika's Children has cemented itself in my mind as the definitive version of the story of Char's Counterattack.

The art in this adaptation is fantastic all around. Character expressions look authentic and varied. There are next to no exaggerated, cartoony expressions which, just like the movie, help solidify the serious tone of the story. All of the MS illustrations look consistent with awesome, dynamic poses. Every MS battle is filled with excellent choreography that is mostly easy to follow. I've never been a big fan of the Nightingale design, but I was surprised with how cool and powerful it was made to look in the illustrations. The artist duo also uses plenty of 2 page spreads to really sell the scale or impact of certain scenes, which all look gorgeous.

The overall plot of Beltorchika's Children is largely the same as the Char's Counterattack movie, with a few changes that don't affect the overall outcome. Some plot points such as the Psycho Frame being leaked and implemented in the Nu Gundam or the arrival of Federation reinforcements are expanded and make a little more sense in the manga. Additionally, having to read all of the slow political moments kept me from falling asleep quite as easily as the movie version. One significant change is made to the climax as Axis is being repelled from Earth. Without giving too much detail, it adds thematic significance to what becomes of Char and Amuro, and didn't leave me scratching my head like I do every time the credits roll on the movie.

The changes that are made mostly pertain to the characters, and I think this is where Beltorchika's Children really outshines the classic movie. None of the characters are wildly different from the original story, but the additions that are made really enhance my understanding and appreciation for their actions. Many facets of Char's motivations and goals are explicitly stated here, and reveal another side to his plan with Axis. The decision for Amuro to still be with Beltorchika itself is telling about his character, and the strength of their relationship heightens some of the stakes in the story. Beltorchika herself shows substantial growth from her appearance in Zeta Gundam, where she was protective of Amuro to the point of being a nuisance. One of my favorite changes is that Quess and Hathaway feel more like background characters. Their ill-fated romance didn't bother me nearly as much as in the movie, perhaps because the whole story wasn't condensed into 2 hours.

So who should read Beltorchika's Children? I highly recommend this to UC Gundam fans who wanted more out of Char's Counterattack. The movie has its issues, and while this doesn't fix all of them, in my opinion it adds details in all the right places to make the existing story much more satisfying. After all these years, I feel like I finally have a better understanding of Char's complicated motivations, and don't feel jipped by the Newtype bs ending of the movie.